


On the Cliffs

by teetreeoil



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Surfers, Badass Toph Beifong, Bisexual Sokka (Avatar), England (Country), Established Sokka/Zuko (Avatar), F/F, F/M, Gay Zuko (Avatar), Gen, Hurt Zuko (Avatar), Iroh (Avatar) is a Good Uncle, Iroh (Avatar) loves Tea, Lesbian Toph Beifong, M/M, Minor Aang/Katara, Minor Mai/Zuko, Minor Sokka/Suki, Multi, Other, Ozai (Avatar) Being a Terrible Parent, Ozai (Avatar) is an Asshole, Past Sokka/Suki (Avatar), Past Sokka/Yue (Avatar), Precious Aang (Avatar), Protective Sokka (Avatar), Protective Zuko (Avatar), Suki & Zuko (Avatar) Friendship, Tea Server Zuko (Avatar), Top Sokka (Avatar), Toph Beifong & Zuko Friendship, Zuko is an Awkward Turtleduck, Zuko's Scar (Avatar)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-04
Updated: 2020-10-18
Packaged: 2021-03-07 19:34:18
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,507
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26812972
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/teetreeoil/pseuds/teetreeoil
Summary: Zuko moves from London to a small, touristy town on the English coast to work in his uncle's tea shop. He meets Aang, the weird bald kid, while skating and he thinks he's finally made his first real friend. That is, until Aang's friends come home for the summer and Zuko is thrust into this strange found family. He quickly realises he never wants to leave, not when a boy with ocean eyes is looking at him like that.Sokka missed his family, and the waves, and long days at the beach. He was excited to go home and spend the summer with his best friends, drinking and surfing and watching shitty movies. Of course some city kid e-boy wannabe came along and messed that all up. But with a smile like that, Sokka can't bring himself to care.
Relationships: Aang/Katara (Avatar), Sokka & Zuko (Avatar), Sokka/Zuko (Avatar), Suki/Ty Lee (Avatar)
Comments: 12
Kudos: 137





	1. chapter one

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys this is my first fic! I read 'High Tide' by Vooodooochild and couldn't get surfer!sokka and skater!zuko out of my head. This will have a completely different vibe to that work, as its set in England (I don't know enough about America) and is my take on the pairing but please check their work out! I'll have it linked at the end it's a fave of mine.  
> I'll update as often as I can, probably around once a week, but apologies if its not always on the same day, I'm in sixth form and applying for medicine at university so I have a lot going on, this is just my little escape.

Zuko was surprised when Aang showed up at the bowl that morning. He'd met Aang before, of course, so was used to having him around. In fact, ever since they'd moved to town and he'd met the small, bald boy at the bowl practically flying -on a penny board of all things-, he'd been insistent to make Zuko his new friend. Despite his initial resistance (who the fuck is that happy all the time) Zuko had warmed up to the kid more than he'd ever admit, and the two had grown close in the last two months. What was surprising wasn't seeing him drop in seamlessly beside him, it was that it was 3:38 in the morning.

Zuko was used to long nights skating on his own. After the 'accident' his ear had been damaged and his balance was affected, but he also hadn't really slept since, so the hours of practice in the dark had paid off. The hum of the wheels beneath him and his instinctual micro-movements to regain balance were all as familiar to him as ever. His deck was scuffed and grip tape peeling in some places. Once, he would have hated the board's disrepair as a sign of his failures or some other edgy bullshit, but now he liked it. It fit the aesthetic well and he liked that he had something to show for all he had learned, something he'd forged himself on makeshift ramps and pavements.

Aang used a neon green penny board covered in his friend's sharpie messages and doodles to the point where most of it was illegible. Despite this and his hippie-monk angle, he was one of the best skaters Zuko had ever met. He seemed to bend the air around him as he almost danced on top of his board, limbs flailing. Tonight especially, he was practically vibrating in what Zuko only hoped was excitement as arms pinwheeled. He tried to say something, probably explaining his appearance, but since he was trying to whisper, Zuko couldn't hear him over the rhythmic ‘thunk’ of wheels over metal. He noticed Zuko’s amused expression and motioned to the benches off the edge of the bowl.  
'Hey hotman!' Aang stage whispered in a voice probably louder than his normal speaking voice. It wasn't as if anyone lived too close by anyways so he didn't need to whisper at all.

'Hey peasant, what's got you up?' Zuko didn't even cringe at his nickname anymore, Aang was annoyingly persistent sometimes. Also, he might not have hated it as much as he'd try to let on. Zuko was still surprised that he'd made a friend he was close enough to have nicknames with.

'I was afraid you'd miss me,'

'Miss you? I was enjoying the time away from you and you just had to come and ruin my peace of mind.' He was kidding, but Aang's laugh seemed a little distracted. 'What's up, buddy?'

That was all the push he needed to launch into a rant about how today all of his friends were coming back for the summer. He had described each of them at length with a fond crinkle in his eye: Sokka and Suki who were at university, who used to date but were ‘super cool and mature about it’, his rich friend Toph who only had private tutors but had convinced her parents to let her stay for the summer and Katara, who he was the most anxious to see.

It was cute, the way he lit up and blushed under fluorescence, it really was. She’d been around, but had had A Level exams so had shut herself in her room since March studying. She was determined like that. But they had finished the day before and she had spent the day with Aang, who hadn’t stopped smiling. Zuko cringed inwardly at what he would be like when they finally got together. He’d only met her once, when Aang had dragged her to the skatepark, and sure she was cute, but once she gave him a truly icy once-over, huffed and sat down to review flashcards he started to doubt Aang’s taste. He didn’t miss the way she looked at him though, little smiles as she pretended to be unimpressed at Aang’s newest show-offy trick. It was sickening, sure, but it kind of made Zuko want something like that. The only crush he could remember having… he didn't want to think about. It hadn’t been like Aang and Katara, trusting and little smiles and brief awkward touches, but he wasn’t going to think about it.

Aang was still talking, now moving onto listing everything he had planned for the lot of them, and Zuko ignored the twist of resentment in his gut. He had always known Aang had taken pity on him and used him as an interim friend while his others were away, but Zuko had never really had a friend before, let alone a best friend, and had been dreading the day Aang would leave. He had been preparing himself for this, for when the ‘gaang’ returned, and told himself he wouldn’t be upset. Not about some kid he barely knew casting him aside in favour of his dumb friends. Who was he kidding? He missed the strange monk already.

‘-and I know you like horror but pleeeeeaaaase don’t mention it to Suki and Toph because three votes is too many if Sokka has a bad day and I don’t want to make an idiot of myself in front of Katara again.’

‘What?’

‘For the movie night, our tradition? I’ve been telling you about it for the last month? Any other movie night you can have your pick but just for this first one I don’t want to be hiding in front of the girl I like!’ Now Zuko was thoroughly confused.

‘Why would my vote count?’ Aang looked up at him sharply with a look that reminded Zuko of a scolded puppy.  
‘  
Do you not want to come? I totally get it if not it's not like you know them or anything and you’ve said you’re not a people person, but I know they’ll all love you. Besides, gran-gran makes a whole buffet of snacks which is amazing and I’ll bring Appa over and he already loves you. Just think about it okay?’ Aang was still looking at him way too earnestly so Zuko had to look over to the beaten wire fence to think. He had just assumed that he’d be replaced as soon as the others came back and hadn’t been ready to be invited. Was that okay? I mean surely it was just Aand making sure he wasn’t lonely right? But Aang was a shitty liar and looked like he really wanted Zuko there.

If he went, he’d be awkward, he didn’t like new people and this was a lot of them. Plus they were already so close, and Zuko could never be like that with other people, the thought of being that vulnerable made his toes curl. But he wanted to be. And a movie night sounded fun. He could always give it a go and leave if he hated it, he had no obligation to be there. It was only one night. Then he’d back off and Aang could hang out with his actual friends without feeling too bad about it.

‘Plus I need you there, shifu, as a wingman. I’m finally going to tell her this summer. I can’t ask Sokka for help cause ya know he’s her brother and it's weird, Toph just tells me what she thinks will cause the most chaos and as much as I love Suki, the last time I listened to her advice I ended up arrested.’ Aang was fully rambling now, but still slurring his words a bit with grogginess.

‘Okay THAT’S a story I need to hear. And urm okay-if you’re sure it's not me intruding.’

Aang jumped up to his feet and whooped, clearly having forgotten that he was meant to be keeping quiet, and flung himself over Zuko. Flinching only slightly, Zuko lightly tapped his back before slapping him lightly in the head and walking back over to the bowl.  
‘If you’re not going to sleep, wanna show me how the fuck you managed to land that kickflip?’

Aang bounced over beside him, already launching into a speech about ‘feeling the balance of the board’, which of course Zuko just rolled his eyes at. Sometimes Zuko swore that Aang must be blessed in whatever way you could be in his religion, because the kid really just hurled himself off anything and the board landed right beneath him. Zuko could respect that, even if the ease of which Aang picked up new moves was sometimes maddening. 

Zuko had a much different approach. He also flung himself at or off whatever he could, and loved nothing more than skating at top speed with the wind in his hair, but he spent a lot of time practicing everything from tricks to falls to quick turns. It took him a bit longer to pick new things up, but when he got something he made sure he could do it right. It gave him a more refined sense of fluidity and purpose on his board. It was the only time he ever felt confident.

‘OW SHIT ZUKO WATCH IT’ 

‘MOVE FUCK’

Zuko groaned as he felt his palms split, board skidding away from him. Aang, now sprawled below him, had messed up a landing. They looked at each other in silence for a moment in the dark, both bruising and tangled on the concrete, before bursting into howling laughter.  
It was only much later, when Aang had gone home to shower and get ready, that Zuko remembered to be nervous again.

\---------------------------------------------

Sokka was used to waking up early. Classes, the waves, his grandmother, they all demanded his attention as soon as the sun rose, so he was used to being up. He hated it every single morning. Looking at his alarm clock with contempt, he pulled the covers up over his head and groaned. Seeing his family was only just worth waking up this early for, and the more he thought about it the better the bed seemed. He kicked off the covers anyway and pulled a sweatshirt over himself, starting the kettle.

He’d really missed his family this year, going to university was the longest he’d ever spent away from them and it had hit him as hard as he had expected it to. Going back for holidays, with all his homework and his friends pretty disbanded, hadn’t been the same. This summer, though, everyone was going to be home again, and he couldn’t wait.  
Dumping sugar and cream unceremoniously into a cup, Sokka pushed his hair out of his eyes and into its usual wolf tail. It was getting a bit long on the sides now, he’d have to get Katara to cut it again soon. He unlocked his phone and sent Toph a message to say he was on his way, before rinsing his cup out and turning on his playlist. 

It took four trips to move all of his stuff from his tiny dorm room down to his beat-up minivan parked below. He was moving off campus for his second year and so couldn’t leave anything behind. It was mostly school stuff, nearly all of his sport gear left at home for weekend visits, since he wasn’t so close to the sea anymore. He would have space for it all in his new apartment next year, but he wasn’t as close to the sea from here (it took him nearly as long to get to the closest beach as it did to get home) and Sokka liked the excuse to go back to his familiar hometown, so he had no plans on moving it.

Van fully loaded, he started out, early morning sun streaming through the window. He had to beat the morning rush of the city so he’d headed out early and was glad for the near-empty roads. Picking up Toph added about 40 minutes to his journey, but she was like a less-annoying sister to him and he missed her, so he did it as much as her overly-strict parents would allow. 

He snickered to himself as he remembered first meeting Toph, the newest member of the group. He had been hesitant towards her at first, she was small and blind and he didn't need to be babysitting anyone else, but Toph had quickly proven herself with her dry humour, comical strength and knack for martial arts. Of course Suki had loved her instantly and Katara had warmed up to her after a couple of heart-to-hearts that Toph refused to admit ever happened. In the beginning, she’d even had a little crush on Sokka, who was dating Suki at the time, but that had dissipated as soon as they got close. Now she was his favourite partner in crime, even if most of her stunts ended up in him taking the fall.

She was waiting for him at the side of the road by the gatehouse (!!) of her driveway, and from this distance, looked tiny and frail against the damp chill of the countryside. She came from old money, and her parents had always disliked her association with the rowdy crew of common country folk, but allowed it after she’d run away and refused to come back once. Nobody could really cross Toph. Still, Sokka was glad he didn't have to go into her house to face her parents’ snooty looks.

Toph was in the van the second it stopped, ripping her shoes off and sticking them over the heating vent. Sokka let out an exaggerated groan in lieu of a greeting.

‘Stop that, you’ll make the whole van reek of your crusty asss feet.’ Toph was grinning maliciously from under her bangs, already fumbling for the aux. And letting out a happy sigh when death metal began blaring from the speakers, rather than the radio.

‘Oh I am truly sorry I defaced your esteemed vehicle, maybe if her highness were to have gotten here earlier, I wouldn’t have had to stand in the cold waiting for so long.’

‘Awe you were up waiting for me? I knew you cared!’ Sokka pulled the arm closest to her off the steering wheel half a second before her fist hit.

They weren’t even that much later than they said they’d be, only half an hour that was spent getting a McBreakfast that was totally worth it, but by the time Toph and him pulled up to the old farmhouse, Katara was perched on the gate anxiously while Aang bounded round in the field behind them with Appa. Seeing the van, she jumped down and shuffled around a bit, clearly trying to seem like she hadn't been waiting for them.

Sokka smiled at that, and rolled down his window to call out through the thin fog and over the music still pounding from his shitty sound system.

‘Katara! Get the gate for your travel-weary brother?’

Sokka swore he saw her eye twitch, but she opened it anyways and walked alongside the van as it pulled up the drive in front of the house. Appa recognised the sound of the engine and ran over, snapping playfully at the wheels, and Toph jumped out before the engine even cut off, giving everyone an affectionate punch. Sokka finally pulled to a stop and got out, stretching his arms above his head as he did so, and was immediately engulfed by Aang, Katara and Appa’s wet tongue. Yep, he was home.

It was an unusually cold day for summer and the lights of the house looked more comforting than he ever remembered them being. With everyone helping, it only took one trip to get everything inside, but the boxes were quickly forgotten in the hallway as everyone moved into the kitchen and gathered around the island while Katara fussed, making tea.

‘So how did they go ‘tara? Do I get to call you Doctor yet?’ Sokka started, leaning his arm over her shoulder and into her fluffy blue jumper. She’d been given conditional offers from a few medical programs and he knew she’d been working hard for months, so would definitely have gotten the grades.

‘Everything went okay! Biology went great, so much better than I hoped, but chemistry was tough. How about you, built your rocket yet?’ She pulled away from him to distribute the cups, and they all moved into the living room, where the dining table was already piled a foot high in snacks, blankets and pillows thrown everywhere.

‘You KNOW it's an airship for the upper atmosphere and nah, the professors just can’t see the genius in it.’ Everyone hummed along, far more interested now in the snacks and Toph’s stories of her latest escapades. She always exaggerated a bit, but she was absolutely insane and an agent of pure chaos, so undoubtedly everything she said was based in truth.

Sokka relaxed on the sofa. He’d made friends in university, with most other people in this engineering classes, but he’d really lucked out with this group (even if they were all kids) and he never seemed to have as much fun as when he was around them. He looked out the window to the indistinguishable line where the grey sky met the framing grey sea and thought about going for a quick surf, but he was too comfortable, and it was choppy anyway, and he had the whole rest of the summer.

They were all laughing along to Toph recounting the story of how she’d caught her tutor with the chef in the pantry (‘I can’t not-look at wafers the same’) when Aang stood up suddenly to grab his phone. 

‘Oh guys Zuko said he was coming! I should probably text him to come over.’ 

‘Hold on hold on, I thought it was just going to be us? The Gaang reunited?’ Sokka knew it was petty but he just wanted a night with his friends. He’d heard a lot about the emo city kid that had moved recently and from Aang’s description he seemed like a good guy, but Aang saw the good in everyone so that didn’t count.

‘Come on Sokka you’ll love him, he’s your age and he skates and he’s really funny. I think he’ll fit in really well with us!’ Sokka looked over at Katara for support, but of course she was taking Aang’s side in this, still a bit flushed from when he’d sat next to her on the sofa. Honestly it was getting a bit pathetic at this point. 

‘Fine, but he’s not sitting on the couch, I need the room to stretch out.’

‘Don’t worry dude, nobody wants to sit that close to you.’

‘Fuck off Toph!’ 

They set up mario kart, and Aang and Katara were soon sat cross legged side by side, bot determined to win. Toph was mainly just screaming things for shock value at the worst times she could, and verbally berating whoever was losing. Sokka, still smiling to himself, got up to put the empty mugs away when the doorbell rang.

‘SOKKA DOOR!’

‘On it!’

He rolled his eyes and bounced a bit on the balls of his feet as he walked over to the door. His house had always been used as a kind of common room so he was used to having people around, but it was only as he got to the door he realised the guy on the other side was a literal stranger and, knowing Aang, could be some kind of road man or druggie. If it was he was going to KILL that kid.

He took a breath and pulled open the door. Shit. Aang was so dead. 

In front of him was a guy the same age as him, but dressed in skinny, ripped black jeans, a black hoodie printed with red and white graphics, and a fucking nose peircing. He was lean, skinnier than Sokka and kind of curled in on himself, as though he wanted to be anywhere else. His dark, fluffy hair obscured most of his face, and he shuffled a bit, making Sokka realise he’d been staring a little bit too long.

Hh god Sokka was fucked. The boy looked up with amber eyes, startling through his hair and dark eye bags and took a few shallow breaths. Shit Sokka say something shitshitshitshit.

Before he could collect himself, Zuko spoke in a raspy, soft voice a little higher than Sokka was expecting.

‘Hey it’s Zuko- I’m Zuko. Aang invited me?’

Aang was going to die for this.


	2. chapter two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey so here's the second part. It took longer than I wanted and I couldn't spend as much time on it as I'd hope since I've actually spent the last two weeks applying to university, but I should be able to update at least once a week from now on!

Zuko was fucking freezing. And late. He’d never been up to this part of the cliffs before, and assumed he could skate it. A half a kilometer out of town, however, the road quality had quickly declined into an average country lane and rendered his board useless. What made matters worse was the fact that he’d ignored his uncle’s pleas to take a coat, and the icy wind had forced a thin sheet of drizzle over all his exposed skin.

He’d waited for a good few minutes outside of the solid oak door, watching the peeling blue paint shift a little in the wind. It was the kind of place that exuded a sense of timeliness, with squat stone walls and soft golden light pouring from every window. He could hear Aang shrieking from here, as well as giggles and faint music. Zuko definitely didn’t belong here. 

Still, he’d made a promise to Aand and he could never really back out of promises, so he rallied himself, took a deep breath and rang the doorbell.  
There was a muffled commotion inside, and then heavy footsteps that definitely weren’t Aang’s. Zuko was just about ready to turn around and run away when the door opened.  
Zuko looked down instinctually, but still felt his breath catch a little at the sight. Okay, so he had stalked Aang’s friends just a little bit online, just enough to know that this was the one who was his age, Sokka, but of course pictures hadn’t done him justice. 

He seemed to fill tracksuit bottoms and a faded blue sweatshirt in a way Zuko could, looking effortless and at ease. Haloed by the warm light of the corridor, his high cheekbones and warm, tan skin looked like they were glowing.

Okay so he was attractive, but why the fuck hadn’t he said anything? Wait, am I meant to say something? He was the stranger here after all. Oh, he’s probably looking at the scar. I should say something. 

‘Hey it’s Zuko- I’m Zuko. Aang invited me?’

Welp, he was going to die now. Just walk and keep on walking until he got to the edge of these fucking cliffs and-

‘Oh shit yeah sorry of course, come in dude!’ Sokka stuttered a bit, but seemed to pick up enthusiasm again. Zuko could work with that, lots of people were a bit distracted when they saw his scar for the first time and at least he hadn’t been outright rude about it.

He must be way more attached to Aang than he thought he was to be putting up with this. He followed Sokka into the hallway and took his shoes off, aware of the eyes on the back of his neck. 

‘Can I uh, leave this inside?’ He gestured to his skateboard and cringed at how lame he sounded, but the silence had been making him uncomfortable. 

‘Sure yeah, go for it. Oh that’s a cool board, you skate? Oh shit yeah I forgot that’s how you met Aang. I skate a bit myself. Well, not really I just use a longboard to get places, I’m convinced skaters are masochists. I mean, you have to fall so much to get good, at high speed onto concrete, like why would you subject yourself to that?’ It took a beat before Zuko realised he was actually looking for an answer, half expecting Sokka ro keep talking for the rest of the night. What the fuck kind of a question was that?

‘I don’t mind it too much, if you learn how to fall safely it’s not so bad.’

‘See, that’s why surfing is so much better! You fall and land in the water so nothing goes wrong!’ Oh so he was a surfer. It made sense, Zuko could picture him holding a board, or crouched low on a wave with the sun on his deep tan skin-

‘You could drown.’

‘Oh, I guess that’s true,’ Sokka sounded a bit stumped at that, it must have come out more deadpan than Zuko intended. Sokka fidgeted a bit before seeming to pull himself together and strode moved into the room to their left. Zuko followed, resigning not to say anything else for the rest of the night.

‘So this is the kitchen, snacks and the gang! You’ve met Aang already, obviously. The one losing-’

‘I HAVENT LOST YET!’

‘-is my sister Katara. And over there is Toph. Watch out, she bites.’ 

‘Don’t you forget it.’ Zuko bit down any kind of retort, she was like 4 foot 5 what the fuck was she going to do? But he was playing nice for Aang.

‘You want a drink or anything?’

‘Nah I’m good.’ This was just getting more and more awkward. He needed to start thinking of excuses to leave. Toph asked for a soda and Sokka almost ran out of the room to get it. Okay Zuko was thinking about doing the same thing, but it was a bit rude. Did he really look that bad?

‘Hey sparky sit down you’re making me nervous.’ He raised an eyebrow at Toph, the tiny girl had guts to speak to him like that. He complied and perched on the side of the sofa, knowing his posture was too stiff but not really caring to fix it. 

‘So what’s your deal?’

‘Excuse me?’

‘Who are you? All I know about you is you skate, and since I can’t see, that doesn’t really impress me , so you’re going to have to give me something more to go off.’ It was then that Zuko looked up (maybe his uncle was right, he should make eye contact more often) and realised her eyes were milky and unfocused, staring at a point just past his right shoulder. For a second he wanted to ask her about it, then he remembered how much he hated people asking about his scar and decided against it.

‘Well?’

‘Urm, I just moved down from London with my uncle, he set up the new tea shop in town, ‘The Jasmine Dragon’, I’m 19 and I urgh… like horror movies?’ Aang shot him a look of ‘Traitor!’ from where he was still playing against an increasingly desperate Katara, but it was the only thing he could think of to say. 

Toph immediately perked up to this, and started a passionate rant about the iconic slashers and how they ‘don’t make them how they used to.’  
‘Why do you like horror so much though, if you can’t even see the monster?’ Zuko didn't even think before asking, and flinched a bit as he said it. God fucking damnit he was just trying to make conversation, why did everything he say come out like a challenge? 

Toph, thankfully, was completely unfazed. In fact, she seemed a little impressed.

‘ With all the music and screams and people spelling everything out unnecessarily, it’s one of the easiest genres to follow along with, plus I get to make fun of these idiots for being pussies.’

‘That.. actually makes sense I guess. And you’re not missing out on much, honestly the CGI is normally so bad that the actual monster is the least scary part and kind of ruins it.’ Aang and Katara both made noises of disapproval from in front of the TV.

‘Well I just don’t know why you’d want to watch people get murdered for sport. What do you gain from that? Plus most of them are very racist or misogynistic. DID YOU JUST BLUE SHELL ME I SWEAR TO FUCKING GOD AANG!’ Aang laughed maniacally next to her, clutching the controller.

‘Oh get off your high horse, sugarqueen, we all know you love a good ghost story as much as the rest of us. It’s not our fault you squeak like a guinea pig at every jump scare.’  
Katara let out a ‘hrumph’ and focused back on her game as Sokka sauntered in, looking a bit more collected and carrying glasses and a small bowl.

‘Here, Toph, soda’s on the table next to you. Pretzels are in the bowl behind it. Oh and I totally agree, Zuko, I mean how can you honestly look at the babadook and be scared? By the time you get to see the monster it's comical. That’s why ‘Children of the Corn’ is my favourite, the only monsters are children and they are fucking terrifying!’

Zuko scoffed a bit at that and smirked up at Sokka. ‘Children of the corn? That sounds awful, is it just farmers or something?’

‘You’ve never seen it?’

‘Why would I watch a horror movie about corn?’ Sokka was looking at him indignantly, smiling a bit and huffing dramatically. It was actually really cute.

‘Hey princess, he sat on the couch.’ Sokka whirled around at that, suddenly looking back at Zuko quite a bit more intensely than before.

‘Oh was I not meant to? I can move if you want? I didn’t know.’

‘No! I mean, don’t bother it’s just urm.. Toph being a bitch and teasing me.’ Toph cackled a bit from behind Sokka and Zuko bristled. He really hated being laughed at. And just when things were starting to pick up.

Sokka looked him over, once, and Zuko felt himself heat up a little, then flinched when Sokka started moving towards him. He kept going, and sat on the other side of the couch, back against the arm, facing Zuko. He immediately relaxed into the sofa, lifting his arms behind his head as he did so, making his sweatshirt rise up to just see a sliver of tanned skin. He was doing that on purpose, he had to be. Sokka shot a fond smile at his sister as he let out another irritated huff and Zuko started at just how unguarded he looked. He didn’t want to dwell too much on the fact that people being this relaxed around family surprised him so much.

As he turned towards him, Zuko didn’t miss the subtle tightening of his forehead. It didn't seem aggressive, but Sokka definitely didn’t trust him yet. Zuko supposed that was fair enough, they were strangers after all and there was no way he was going to let his guard down, but he couldn’t stop himself from wondering, just for a moment, what it would feel like if Sokka looked at him so fondly like that. Or if anyone else other than Iroh did, really. He was really that pathetic. 

‘So which is your favourite?’

‘Huh?’

‘Horror movie, which is your favourite?’

‘I don’t know, probably one of the Japanese ones. I love ‘Noroi: The curse,’ it's one of those documentary-style ones.’

‘Like Blair Witch?’

‘Yeah same genre-’

There was a woop from the floor and Aang jumped up, going a victory dance. Toph was howling (‘that makes it twenty to one, sweetness, aren’t you giving up yet?’) and Katara pouting on the floor. Sokka scoffed at them. 

‘I was totally going to win! You just got too lucky with the blue shells, I think it’s rigged.’

‘Don't worry, Katara, I’m sure you’ll get me next time!’

‘Urgh! I’m going to order food, what does everyone want?’ 

Zuko looked over to the table, already piled high with untouched snacks. It was enough food for a week at least, and they were ordering more? Sokka seemed to catch his expression and let out a low laugh.

‘Our movie nights are famous for the food, so you better get ready. Nobody can out-eat me, though, so don’t feel too intimidated.’ Why the fuck was he boasting about that? Zuko could never back down from a challenge, even though he didn't really have much of an appetite anymore. Seeing Sokka acting all cocky like that brought out a sense of competition in him. That was totally what this odd twisting in his gut was, right? 

They’d already decided on Chinese, and everyone gave Katara their orders. There was only one Chinese takeout place in town, and one eat-in. Zuko had had it a couple of times and it was okay, but very bland and oily. He missed the variety of take-out in the city, not for the first time. He could kill for some proper katsu right about now. He was just lucky Iroh was such a good cook, or he’d be stuck with fish and chips every night. He shuddered at the thought.

‘Hey Sparky, you said you came from London, what’s up with that accent?’ Toph was looking at the wall above Zuko’s head, and he felt everyone else turn towards them.

‘Toph,’ Katara hissed, ‘you can’t just ask things like that!’

‘Why not? It’s not like I can see him and guess myself is it? So?’

Zuko thought about being offended for a second, if someone had questioned him like that a year ago he would have started a fight, but he couldn’t help the small smile on his lips. He decided he liked Toph and her take-no-shit attitude, it was easy to know where he stood.

‘My family is Japanese, we moved to London with my father’s company when I was five. I guess I never lost the accent.’ Not like Azula, who spoke both Japanese and English without a hint of an accent. And four other languages. But it was to be expected, she was the fucking prodigy. 

‘Do you speak any Japanese at all?’ Katara looked intrigued and Zuko winced, it was always so awkward speaking in his mother tongue on demand. It made him feel like a performer.

‘Yeah, we had to keep it up and I still speak it at home with my uncle.’

‘Wait a second, if you moved here with your dad, why do you live with your uncle?’ it was Aang now, barely containing his curiosity. They’d always avoided the topic of family and deep personal history before, but of course here, in a room full of strangers, he was going to bring it up. In his defense, he seemed to realise he’d overstepped the second   
he’d asked the question and began to mumble an apology when Zuko didn’t immediately answer.

A beat passed, and Zuko saw Sokka look him over again, face scrunched and gaze analytical, as though he was just now realising Zuko could be a threat. Toph cleared her throat from the corner.

‘Oh sweet, my mum’s chinese, my dad has a thing for Asian women, but I could never get any good at mandarin. Maybe it was because I put dye in my tutor’s soap, but we never really got along. I’ve been to China a few times, but I don’t really see the appeal, it’s way too stuffy.’

‘Our family are Saami, from Northern Scandinavia, we moved here because of our dad’s job. He has a fishing boat for the Atlantic and North sea, he docks it in the port just up the coast.’ Katara explained, and Zuko didn’t know what to make of the new softness in her eyes towards him. He didn’t really want to bond with these people about being immigrants but he was happy that he was out of the direct line of fire of the questions, so he asked:

‘Do you guys live alone then, when your dad’s on the boat?’

Sokka responded this time, more curtly than he’d spoken before. I guess fathers aren’t an easy topic for anybody. 

‘No, we live with gran-gran. Normally you’d have met her by now but she’s gone to stay with a friend of hers who’s ill for a few days.’

‘Oh, cool.’

‘Yeah. So, what does everyone want to watch?’ Everyone visibly relaxed as Sokka broke into a grin, becoming so animated again so quickly it gave Zuko whiplash. He must be putting it on then. I wonder what he’s acting for. 

They argued for a few minutes amongst themselves, and Zuko mainly stayed out of it, until they decided on some new superhero movie. It was off-brand and cearly a bad rip off of the marvel franchise, so zuko knew it’d be terrible, but he didnt complain. He thought that would be it, and they’d start watching, but as soon as they decided, everyone else got up and began assembling things with military-like precision. Katara grabbed pillows and blankets from around the house, sokkka made jugs of drink and brought cups to the coffee table, and Toph and Aang opened the packets of snacks and placed them within reach on the floor. They had such an easy, familiar rhythm to their tasks that Zuko just watched them. He felt bad, not helping, but they clearly did this a lot. 

Soon, the living room looked like a snack hoarder’s wet dream and everyone began to settle down again. Sokka, who hadn’t really stopped talking yet, was entertaining everyone by loudly complaining about his neighbour in the uni halls, and how he had loud, kinky sex with his girlfriend at the worst times, like when gran-gran facetimed. Toph was literally rolling around on the floor laughing, Aang was crying and clutching his stomach and Katara was hanging onto him, wheezing. Even Zuko found himself smiling along, and scoffing at the cruder details. It was strange, he couldn’t remember having this much fun in a while. 

It was clear Sokka didn’t mind being the center of attention, but it wasn’t in the haughty, hard-to-watch way that he saw back in London a lot, where people would compete to   
be the most interesting or charismatic- it was more like Sokka just had this ease about him that filled the room well. He liked making his friends laugh, that was it. 

Sokka was getting particularly into reenacting the time when they’d barged into his room after getting the rooms mixed up, and had been half way naked before realising Sokka was at his table doing maths homework, when Zuko let out a burst of laughter before he could stifle it with his hand. He didn’t miss the way Sokka paused for a second and looked at him, surprised and triumphant. By default, Zuko scowled. He didn’t like that he’d let his guard down so quickly, that they knew he was enjoying it this much. He had to remember that this was only temporary, that as soon as Aang had included him enough not to feel guilty he was out. He took a sip of his drink, no longer listening.

Sokka had been surprised to hear Zuko laugh, the sound was clear and high and a lot younger than anything else about him seemed. He’d wanted to hear it again, so had gone back to his story with renewed vigour, definitely over-acting, and really trying not to just stare at Zuko;s reaction. When he finally did look over, Zuko was staring into his drink, eyes glassy and unfocussed-clearly not listening, and Sokka felt himself deflate a bit.

He couldnt place why it bothered him so much, the others were absolutely loving it, and normally he only cared about keeping them happy, but something in him wanted to impress Zuko. Maybe because he looked so broody and closed off? Sokka was good with people, he knew this. People sometimes didn’t take him seriously as he tended to be very over-enthusiastic and a bit on the awkward side, but it put people at ease and he knew his friends found comfort in it, so he loved that part of his personality by default. Zuko, on the other hand, seemed aloof and a little cold, but maybe he was just shy, and Sokka always wanted people to be comfortable around him.  
Sure, that made sense.  
He stopped thinking about it when the doorbell rang and Aang went to go get the food, and he went to go jump onto the sofa to lie down like usual. Oh right. Zuko was still curled in the corner, folded in on himself as though he didnt want to take up space. He was normally fiercely protective of his space, but he couldnt find it in him to get Zuko to move. He settled for launching himself into the other corner, smirking at Zuko’s surprise at his sudden movement. 

Zuko gave him a deadpan look, eyebrow raised, that anyone would find adorable, right?

‘What, I can’t be comfortable in my own home?’ 

Zuko scoffed a bit at his teasing tone, clearly trying not to smile, and Sokka grinned. He knew nobody could withstand his charm. 

The film was awful, a complete mockery of action movies everywhere, and within ten minutes Sokka and Toph got to heckling the screen.

‘Boo, lame, Toph, the villain looks like a teletubbie who’s been a crack addict too long.’

‘He sounds like a pussy. He’s definitely got a shitty fake brood on right now hasn’t he?’

‘Oh yeah, he’s looking out the window and everything, get ready for the flashback.’

‘Haha, he could use some lessons from Zuko!’

‘I don’t brood, Aang, that’s so lame.’ Zuko looked affronted, and almost immediately turned back to the screen, brooding. Sokka had to chuckle at that.

‘Dude, I’ve known you all of four hours and I think I can crown you the king of brooding, like seriously how do you do it?’ 

‘How do I brood?’ 

‘How do you do it AND look attractive? I just look constipated haha.’ Zuko spluttered at him for a moment, and it took Sokka a second to figure out what he’d said. He just called this stranger attractive. This very hot stranger that Sokka could potentially be developing a crush on. Oh shit. At least, for the future, Zuko did look pretty hot all flushed like that, not that it was any help at the minute. Sokka decided to play it off, people normally pass things like this off as his personality. He’d tried to confess a few times and they’d thought he was joking, so an accidental slip-up like this was going to be fine, right?

‘I don’t do it on purpose,’ Zuko was back to being indignant, and Aang squashed them.

By the time the movie ended, most of the food had been eaten, Katara was dosing on Aang’s shoulder on the rug, which Aang kept trying to point out to Sokka (if they didnt get together soon he was going to lock them in the pantry until someone confessed) and Toph was passed out on the armchair. Sokka gathered up most of the plates and cups and put them in the kitchen, Katara would sort them in the morning, and went to do his teeth. It was tradition that after a movie, they all slept in the lounge together.

He wondered, suddenly, if Zuko was staying. He didn’t mind, since Aang trusted him and he seemed like a good enough guy not to rob them blind in the night, but he also didnt seem like the kind of person to be comfortable to stay round at a stranger’s house like that. He remembered the skateboard, then, on his porch. There was no way he could skate down to the village at this time in the rain, so Sokka would have to give him a lift.

That seemed like the right thing to do, and nobody could call him out on his ploy to spend more time with Zuko, since it was really only polite to offer the lift. Plan in mind, he made it downstairs, but before he could say anything, Aang piped up.

‘Zuko’s asleep, so be quiet Sokka. I know for a fact he didnt sleep at all last night so he could really use this.’ Sokka was surprised over how protective Aang sounded, but decided to leave it for tonight.

‘Sure, but you think he’ll be comfortable sleeping here? He doesn’t really know us.’

‘Not much we can do now though.’

‘I guess.’

Sokka ignored the small flip in his stomach at the sight of Zuko sprawled on the arm of the sofa, and moved the blanket up so it covered him better. OKay, so he was mildly infatuated with Aang’s strange friend. Just a bit. If anything, he was just curious about him. Yeah, that’s mainly what it was.

He pulled the remaining blankets around him on the other end of the couch and tried really hard not to think about the boy with the golden eyes sleeping soundly next to him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed the chapter! It was a bit more filler-y than I would have like but things should pick up soon. Let me know what you think!

**Author's Note:**

> Sokka is a disaster bi change my mind.
> 
> The amazing work that inspired this whole thing:  
> [ **High Tide**](https://archiveofourown.org/works/25396165) (70564 words) by [**vooodooochild**](https://archiveofourown.org/users/vooodooochild)  
>  Chapters: 17/?  
> Fandom: [Avatar: The Last Airbender](https://archiveofourown.org/tags/Avatar:%20The%20Last%20Airbender)  
> Rating: Teen And Up Audiences  
> Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply  
> Relationships: Sokka/Zuko (Avatar), Aang/Katara (Avatar), Suki/Ty Lee (Avatar), Minor or Background Relationship(s)  
> Characters: Sokka (Avatar), Zuko (Avatar), Katara (Avatar), Aang (Avatar), Toph Beifong, Suki (Avatar), Ty Lee (Avatar), Azula (Avatar), Mai (Avatar), The Gaang (Avatar)  
> Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Surfer Sokka, Skater Zuko, Basically a sun soaked California AU, Honestly just a Lords of Dogtown AU, Ozai (Avatar) Being a Terrible Parent, Found Family, Artist Zuko, Author knows little about surfing and skating but is Doing Their Best, Fluff and Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Music is basically used as a cure all, Alternate Universe - High School, kind of?, Past Abuse  
> Summary:
> 
> "I'm Zuko. I provide Aang with his monstrosity of a drink every morning and give him shit for it in return."
> 
> "Sokka," he introduces with a grin and slight wave, and Zuko nods, still smiling slightly before it slips off his face. Sokka distantly wishes that he could keep it there. "Think you can hook me up with one of those monstrosities?" 
> 
> Respectively, Sokka and Zuko both feel like they’ve got their last summer before adulthood relatively scoped out. Spoiler Alert: they don’t.


End file.
